The CPS officer walked holding the toddlers' hands as he led them to a waiting room, the tots all gasped.

Travis: Told you, you could trust me.

Beck stood up from a chair, he kneeled down holding his arms opened, the tots all ran to him hugging him tight.

Tori: Daddy, something bad happened.

Beck: I know, you're okay, don't worry.

Travis: They're good to go, they were checked out.

Beck stood up from the tots, he shook hands with the officer.

Beck: Thanks.

Andre: Daddy, I no wanna go back.

Beck: You're coming with me.

Trina: Where are we going?

Beck: To our home.

Robbie: You're house, daddy?

Beck: Our house, Robbie.

Cat: (reaches up) Can mommy come with us?

Beck reached down grabbing Cat, he kissed her tearful cheek.

Beck: Mommy has to stay here to get better, okay?

Cat nodded laying her head on Beck's shoulder.

Travis: You're welcomed to see her if you want.

Beck: She's not my concern right now.

With his free hand, Beck grabbed the other four toddlers' hands, walking out the waiting room.

Beck: Let's go home.

At Beck's apartment:

It was noon and the toddlers were so cranky from their long restless morning. Beck collected his crying tots into his bed, tucking them in.

Robbie: (crying) But what about Zeek?

Cat: (crying) Him gonna come back, again?

Beck: It's okay, it's okay, you're safe now.

Beck stood towering the toddlers in bed.

Beck: I won't let anyone hurt you.

Cat: Don't leave, stay.

Beck: You want me to sleep with you?

The toddler nodded wiping away their tears, Beck sat on the edge of the bed.

Beck: I'll always keep you safe.

Trina: What about mommy?

Robbie: Are you gonna save her?

Beck didn't know what to say, he nodded his head.

Tori: Daddy, I call the police, just like you said.

Beck: (smiles) That's great princess, I'm proud of you.

Trina: I helped.

Beck: (chuckles) I'm proud of you too.

Andre: (yawns) Daddy?

Beck: Yes, buddy?

Andre: I want mommy to get better.

Andre tiredly yawned drifting off to sleep. Beck stayed with the toddlers until they were all fully asleep. He called his mother over and was talking to her while the tots napped.

Carolyn: Beck, you should be happy, you got what you wanted.

Beck: This isn't how I wanted to get them.

Beck sighed rubbing his head.

Beck: God knows what they saw. This could land them in therapy.

Carolyn: I'm sure they'll be fine Beck, they have you.

Beck: For now.

Carolyn: What?

Beck: I don't have enough space for them.

Beck started to tear up, his mother moved close to him, rubbing his back.

Beck: CPS is giving me four weeks to find a place, or else.

Carolyn: Or else what, Beck? What's gonna happen?

Beck: They'll put them in foster care for a while.

Beck allowed his tears to fall, he quickly wiped them away.

Carolyn: They can't do that.

Beck: They can mom. What am I gonna do?

Beck and his mother sat in silence for a few minutes. Beck was in deep thought thinking about what he was going to do.

Carolyn: Get out of this lease.

Beck turned to his mother, he was beginning to feel annoyed.

Beck: Weren't you listening mom? I don't have a place to go.

Carolyn: Yes you do.

Beck: Are you trying to make me angry? It's working.

Carolyn: You can move into my house, and pay me, rent.

Beck: What?

Carolyn: It's too much for me alone. I can find an apartment.

Beck: Mom, I, are you sure?

Carolyn: It's two bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms.

Beck: I know that but, are you sure?

Carolyn: Yes, Beck. An apartment is what I need and I can't sale my house.

Beck: Thanks mom, thank you, I owe you, big time.

Beck hugged his mother, he kissed her cheek.

Beck: I love you so much mom, I really do.

Carolyn: I love you too Beck.

Beck pulled away from his mother smiling.

Beck: This is great. I have to buy beds for them and-

Carolyn: (laughs) Beck, calm down. We can sort everything out.

Beck: Mom, thank you.

Carolyn: You're welcomed Beck.

Beck grabbed his phone from next to him.

Beck: I have to call my lawyer.

Carolyn: I have to find an apartment.

Beck: Why don't you stay here?

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

A few days later, Sunday, Jade was released from the hospital. Beck had gotten out of his apartment lease only for his mother to get in it. He and she were planning on switching from their homes in a few weeks. Beck showed up to Jade's house to gather the toddlers' needs. He knocked on Jade's front door. After a few minutes of waiting, Beck knocked again. Within seconds the door opened.

Beck: Hi.

Jade: Hi.

Beck tried to not stare at the visible bruises on Jade's face.

Beck: Can I come in?

Jade shrugged stepping aside allowing Beck to walk inside. She closed the door behind him.

Beck: I'll try not to be long.

Jade nodded, Beck walked away to the toddlers' bedroom to pack their things.

Beck: Where do I start?

Beck opened the closet, looking in. Jade grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the couch, she walked outside sitting on the porch. It didn't take Beck long to load his van with the tots' things, he neatly stored everything in his trunk. Jade didn't bother helping, she sat on the porch smoking, not saying a word to Beck. Beck closed his trunk, he walked over to Jade.

Beck: Alright, that's everything.

Jade nodded looking ahead away from Beck.

Beck: I uh, left the mattress. I ordered them separate beds from Wal-Mart.

Jade rolled her eyes nodding her head.

Jade: Okay Beck, see ya.

Beck sighed, he sat next to Jade on her small porch, she turned looking to him.

Jade: What are you doing?

Beck: Why do you have to be this way, Jade?

Jade ignored Beck, she continued to smoke, Beck scrunched his nose.

Beck: Enjoying that, cigarette?

Jade took the cigarette from her mouth exhaling.

Jade: Cigarettes are gross.

Beck: Then, why are you smoking it?

Jade: No weed. I need something to get me through this day.

Jade put the cigarette back to her lips, inhaling it.

Beck: How much time will he get?

Jade: Zeek?

Beck: (nods) Did they get him yet?

Jade: I'm not pressing charges.

Beck: What? Jade, how could you not?

Jade: He's my boyfriend Beck.

Beck: He's a rapist Jade

Jade: He was drunk, he didn't know what he was doing.

Beck: I don't believe this. Why are you doing this to yourself?

Jade: He loves me and I love him.

Beck: He raped and beat you.

Jade: Why are you so worried about my life?

Beck: What is keeping you with him Jade?

Jade: Don't worry about me.

Beck: You can do better than this, you have potential.

Jade scoffed as she flicked her cigarette ashes to the ground.

Jade: Me? No, I'm just a loser. I've always been. That's never gonna change.

Beck: You're not a loser Jade.

Jade: Yeah? Why is that? Tell me one accomplishment I've made.

Jade inhaled her cigarette looking at Beck waiting for his answer.

Beck: You gave me five amazing kids.

Jade rolled her eyes as she turned her head exhaling.

Jade: That was the biggest mistake I've ever made.

There was an awkward silence between the two. Beck could feel his heart beat as he opened his mouth to speak.

Beck: Why did you lie about an abortion?

Jade looked up at Beck, she sighed.

Jade: I was young, we were young. I didn't want a baby.

Beck: You had them, why did you lie?

Jade: Because,

Jade sighed shaking her head.

Jade: You don't understand Beck.

Beck: I could, if you would tell me.

Jade: I couldn't afford to pay for my fourth year of college.

Beck: What does that have to do with anything?

Jade: I was at a bar, and some guy paid me twenty bucks to make out with him.

Beck became confused looking at Jade.

Jade: Twenty bucks. That helped pay for dinner.

Beck: You made out with some guy while we were still together?

Jade: I still loved you. I was doing that for me.

Beck: You did it often?

Jade: Men would pay anything for sex.

Beck: You were sleeping around during our relationship?

Jade: I did what I had to do Beck.

Beck grew angry, he looked away from Jade.

Jade: You think I enjoy stripping? I don't.

Beck: Why are you doing it?

Jade: How do you think I got this house?

Beck shrugged, he was looking at the ground.

Jade: When I was pregnant, my pimp, was handing me cash left and right.

Beck looked over to Jade, she was looking ahead smoking her cigarette.

Beck: Your pimp?

Jade: The owner of my strip club. We made a deal.

Beck: What kind of deal?

Jade: That after I gave birth and lost the weight, I belonged to him.

Beck: Zeek?

Jade: No. I can't pay back all that money, I'm in contract for five years.

Beck: You're forced to strip for five years, was that the deal?

Jade: (nods) He thought I was hot.

Beck: This, still doesn't answer my question.

Jade: (sighs) I slept around with so many men for cash.

Beck: I'm disappointed in you, Jade.

Jade: I found out I was pregnant sometime after our anniversary.

Jade threw her cigarette to the ground, she squished it with her shoe.

Jade: I didn't know if it was yours or someone else's.

Beck: What?

Jade: I couldn't afford an abortion at the time.

Beck stayed silent as he listened to Jade.

Jade: When I found out I was having quintuplets, it was too late to abort them.

Beck: Are you telling me, they're not mine?

Jade: That's not what I said Beck.

Jade looked away afraid to look into Beck's eyes.

Beck: Oh my God, out of all the things you've done.

Jade: They're yours Beck and you know it.

Beck: I can't believe you Jade. Who are you?

Beck stood up from the porch, walking away to his van.

Beck: I'm getting a test.

Jade: Those kids are yours Beck, anybody can tell you that!

Beck: How dare you, Jade!

Beck got into his van, he started it with his key and took off.

At Beck's apartment:

The toddlers all giggled at their silly faces as they played with Jenny's Ipad. Jenny was cleaning up the kitchen after the tots' snack.

Trina: My turn, my turn.

Trina held up the Ipad taking a picture of her siblings. The tots posed in a funny way.

Trina: Say, cheese!

Trina laughed when she took the picture.

Trina: Look at Robbie.

The toddlers all giggled looking at the Ipad. The door opened and Beck stormed in, he left the tots' things in his van.

Cat: Hi, daddy.

Tori: Wanna take a picture?

Jenny walked out the kitchen to greet Beck, he looked at her with angry eyes.

Jenny: What? What happened?

Beck looked behind him at the giggling tots.

Beck: Hey, why don't you guys go play in my room?

The toddlers nodded, they raced to Beck's room.

Jenny: Be careful with the Ipad, don't drop it.

Andre: We won't!

Jenny turned to Beck, he was pacing around.

Jenny: You're freaking me out, what's wrong?

Beck: They're not mine.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Thanks for reading, more to come.